Long Beach Council Approves New Bike Share Contract
The city has finalized a $25.7 million agreement with Drop Mobility to expand the local e-bike fleet.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Electric Vehicles
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Would you use an electric bike share program to commute around your city?
On October 6, 2026, the Long Beach City Council voted 5-3 to award a three-year contract to Drop Mobility for its bike share program. The initiative aims to enhance regional transportation options ahead of the 2028 Olympic games.
Why it matters
The new contract is $4.7 million cheaper for the first year than the previous vendor, offering a more cost-effective way to modernize city transit. By upgrading to pedal-assisted electric bikes, the city expects to significantly boost usage.
The program will feature 700 pedal-assisted e-bikes with a top speed of 16 miles per hour, growing to a fleet of 2,000 units by the third year. The city will also convert 150 of its existing pedal bicycles to the new software platform.
The players
Long Beach City Council
This local governing body holds legislative authority over the city budget and municipal infrastructure projects.
Drop Mobility
This private company specializes in providing shared micromobility solutions and software platforms for urban transit systems.
The details
Drop Mobility will move its Southern California facility to Long Beach to support the operation. The city retains full control over program pricing and all revenue generated by the service.
Timeline
October 6, 2026: City Council voted to approve the contract.
Next year: Deployment of 700 e-bikes begins.
2028: Expansion completion coincides with the Olympic games period.
Roadmap
As cities prepare for the 2028 Olympic games, municipalities are aggressively scaling e-bike fleets to accommodate anticipated visitor volume. This shift mirrors a broader urban transition away from manual pedal bikes toward electric-assist models to improve user accessibility.
Residents will continue using the existing city app to reserve both manual and electric bicycles. The transition to a new provider maintains service availability while aiming for a 500 percent increase in ridership by the third year.
The takeaway
Long Beach residents should anticipate a larger, faster fleet of e-bikes becoming available over the next three years. Users can check the city app periodically for updates on when the new electric units arrive in their local neighborhoods.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest developments in local infrastructure at Electric Vehicles.
More information
For more information on the program, visit the city bike share app information.
Live Poll
Would you use an electric bike share program to commute around your city?
